Migrants are being told they need to pack up and leave their temporary housing in upstate New York. Officials in Albany have stated they have until the end of 2024 to leave.
The city issued a letter to migrants staying in hotels, indicating that asylum services will no longer be available after December 31. An exit planning team will be on site to assist migrants in planning their next steps.
The letter also states that the city will provide transportation to “a permanent destination” if asylum seekers wish to take that route.
Albany’s contract with health care service provider DocGo is expiring at the end of the year. A spokesperson for the company told the Times Union that migrants will have the option to relocate to New York City to stay in shelters there, which have a 30- or 60-day cap.
Meanwhile, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple expressed concern for the future, citing the presence of members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in the state’s capital.
“I know there’s a lot of Venezuelan migrants here,” Sheriff Apple said. “You can see that right up the street, actually, but if anybody thinks that Tren de Aragua is not here, is being misled. There’s no doubt they’re here.”
The Venezuelan gang has members tied to crimes in New York and multiple other states, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Straight Arrow News reported that young members of Tren de Aragua staying at New York City-funded migrant shelters are committing armed robberies in popular tourist spots like Times Square.
